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Decoded: Why swimming is the best weight loss exercise?

None of us thinks of a swimming pool when we want to get into shape, but actually, we should. Swimming not only burns fat but also helps in inch loss, makes you stronger, fitter and healthier. There is no other workout which makes you as fit, boosts metabolism and burns as many calories as swimming does. A study conducted by researchers of Indiana University compared recreational swimmers with non-swimmers and found that recreational swimmers of all ages had a slimmer waist, leaner muscles and hips as compared to non-swimmers.

Water is 800 times denser than air, and that is why each kick, push and pull is like a resistance workout for your entire body. Swimming works really well for your core, arms, glutes, hips, and shoulders. An easy relaxed swim burns around 500 calories in an hour while a rigorous one may burn up to 700 calories. So, while swimming, you not only burn calories but also build lean muscles. These lean muscles boost your metabolism which in turn helps you burn more calories. Good for joints

Water neutralises gravity, so when you are immersed in water, you become weightless virtually. This gives your joints a much needed break. Swimming also cannot cause any injury, unlike running or strength training.

Researchers show that habitual swimmers are biologically 20 years younger than their actual age. According to the data presented by American College of Sports Medicine Conference, a habitual swimmer's blood pressure, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, cholesterol levels and cognitive functioning are all easily comparable to someone much younger than them.

How long one should swim to lose weight

How long one needs to swim to lose weight totally depends upon their body weight, swimming stroke they use and speed at which they swim. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, one should do at least two hours and 30 minutes of swimming every week. Not only losing weight but swimming can also help you maintain your weight once you have lost the required amount. 3,500 calories are equal to a half kilo of weight. So, you need to burn 3,500 calories more apart from what you are taking in, to lose that half kilo. Different strokes

As we have already mentioned above, different swimming strokes burn different number of calories. Not only strokes but also the duration for which you perform these strokes matters.

This difficult stroke burns the maximum number of calories with its dolphin like kick and windmill arm motion. The stroke burns around 150 calories in 10 minutes for a person weighing around 72 kilos. Freestyle stroke

Freestyle stroke is also called as front crawl and burns a huge number of calories. The best part is, it is easiest to perform and that is why, it is the most popular. A person weighing 58 kilos will burn around 590 calories if they perform freestyle swimming for an hour. Breaststroke and backstroke

Both these styles are no less when it comes to burning calories. The number of calories both these styles burn are equal to the number of calories that you burn while slow jog or fast walk.

The best idea would be to pick up a single form and perform it every day. The more you swim in a particular stroke, the more you learn the technique, which helps you burn more calories due to perfect technique.

Best cardiovascular exercise

While swimming, you use many muscles in your body. Your lungs and heart work very hard to supply them all with oxygen, which means that swimming is an excellent workout for your cardiovascular system.

Tip

To burn more and more calories, it's recommended to do interval training. Swim as fast as you can for a lap and then next lap should be at a relaxed pace. Also, wear a bathing cap while swimming as it will reduce resistance in the water and will allow you to increase your swimming speed which will help you burn more calories.